Rotary hydraulic coupling



Dec. 4, 1951 R. P; CLIFTON 2,577,404

ROTARY HYDRAULIC COUPLING Filed April 16, 1945 2 SHEETS-Sl-IEET 1 INVENTOR. 03M mega,

ATTbR/VEYS 1366- 1951 v R. P. CLIFTON ROTARY HYDRAULIC COUPLING 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April 16, 1945 INVENTOR. 0M BY M ra? ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 4, 1951 ROTARY HYDRAULIC COUPLING Robert P. Clifton, Dearborn, Mich, minor to Packard Motor Car Company, Detroit,

Mich

a corporation of Michigan Application April 16, 1946, Serial No. 688,617

4 Claims.

This invention relates to transmission mechanism and more particularly to the type incorporating a fluid coupling.

An object of the invention is to increase the effective driving range of the low speed runner in a fluid coupling having a plurality of runners for driving transmission mechanism at different speeds.

Another object of the invention is to increase the effective capacity of one runner of a plural runner Fdttinger type fluid coupling by uitilizing the interior of the core and the impeller to form a second fluid operating circuit.

A further object of the invention is to conserve the space required in change speed planetary gearing through the nesting of two conditioning devices and locating them around the carrier.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings. which form a part of this specification, andin which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of transmission mechanism incorporating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through control mechanism taken on line2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the fluid coupling impeller looking toward the inside;

' Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the first runner of the fluid coupling looking toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1;

4 Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the second runner of the fluid coupling looking toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view of a modified form of fluid coupling:

IQ for actuating driven shaft 20. Rotor i6 may be termed a primary driven rotor and rotor l1 may be termed a secondary driven rotor, both rotors with the driving rotor defining a toroidal container through which the energized fluid in the coupling flows. Shaft 20 is connected to drive tail shaft 2! from which rotation is imparted to propeller shaft 22 through the forward and reverse selector mechanism ll. Runner I6 is drivingly connected with shaft is by a spring type overrunning clutch 23 while runner I1 is splined at 24 to shaft l3. 1

The planetary gearing includes drive gear 26 fixed to rotate with shaft l8. drive gear fixed to rotate with shaft l9 and driven gear 21 fixed to shaft 20. Planet gear 28 meshes with gear 25, planet gear 29 meshes with gear 26 and planet gear 30 meshes with gear 21. These planet gears may be formed separately and secured together or formed as a unit and the unitary structure is rotatably mounted on pin Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the impeller of the modified coupling looking toward the left as viewed in Fig. 6.

I Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the power transmission mechanism comprises generally a power unit, such as an- "engine of which the rear casing wall i3 and crankshaft II are illustrated, a fluid coupling 12, planetary gearing l3 and forward and reverse 3| fixed to carrier 32. The ratios of gears 26 and 23 and gears 26 and 28 are such that the drive through each pair is diflerent. Fluid in the coupling I2 is circulated by'impeller l5 through runners l6 and I1 in series. Shaft l8 will be driven by the flrst runner 16 through clutch 23 to provide low speed drive to shaft 20 through gears 26, 29, 30 and 21, and as the fluid pressure increases in the coupling the second runner will become effective and will take over the drive through shaft 16 and gears 25, 28, 30 and 2'! to provide a higher or intermediate speed. As the planet gears are fixed. to rotate as a unit, shaft l8 will be driven through the gearing from shaft l9 during intermediate drive at a higher speed than runner I6 is rotating and clutch 23 permits shaft It to overrun its runner. The planetary gearing will be ineffective to drive unless retrograde movement of the carrier is prevented and two brake devices 33 and 34 are provided for this purpose.

The fluid coupling i2, gearing l3 and selector mechanism I 4 are housed in a casing comprised of sections 35, 36 and 31. houses the fluid coupling. casing section 36 houses the planetary gearing and its controls and casing section 31 houses the selector mechanism It. The rear wall 36 of easing section 35 serves to support the telescoped shafts l8 and I6 while Casing section 35 the forward end of shaft i8 is mounted in an extension 38 of the first runner which pilots in the rear end of the crank shaft. The carrier is rotatably mounted on shaft |8 at one end and the other end, together with shaft 28. is carried by wall. 40. Shaft 2| is piloted in the rear end of shaft 28 and the front end of shaft 22 and is mounted in wall 4| intermediate casing sections 86 and 81.

The brake device 33 comprises an abutment member 44 adapted to be fixed with the carrier 82 by an overrunning clutch 48, a sectional brake band 46 for engaging the outer wall of the abutment member rim 41 and an actuator for the brake band consisting of a rubber tube.

48. The band is normally expanded by flexible metal strips 48 anchored in the adjacent ends of the band sections and the tube is housed in a carrier 88 flxed to casing section 38. The interior of the tube may be suitably connected by conduit means 58 with'a source of fluid placed under pressure by a pump comprised of rotor members and 82, member 82 being splined to the cover 52' attached to the coupling impeller l5. When the brake band is engaged, the overrunning clutch will wedge between the brake drum and the carrier 32 preventing retrograde movement of carrier 32 to establish first and intermediate driving speeds through the planetary gearing.

The connection between shafts 28 and 2| may be a toroue s eed device of the character shown in application Ser. No. 587,523 filed April 10, 1945. Shaft 28 has a flange 53 at its rear end to which a casing 84 is secured by bolts 55. Flyweights, as indicated by numeral 88, are pivotallv mounted on the bolts and to arms on the forward end of shaft 2| thus providing a driving connection between the shafts.

High or direct drive is obtained by locking up the planetary gearing through means of a clutch device 58 to cause the gearing and fluid coupling to rotate as a unit. A clutch ring 88' is splined at 58' to the carrier 82 and clutch plates 88 are splined alternately to such ring and to casin 84 fixed to shaft flange 88. The plates are normally disengaged by springs 88' and engaged by piston 8| when actuated by fluid pressure from a suitable source such as a pump 82 driven by shaft 2|. The fluid fiow to the clutch is preferably controlled by the torque speed connector between shafts 28 and 2|. The pump is connected with passage 88 extending axially through shaft 2|, and passage 84 in flange 88 leads from passage 83 to the piston 8|. A vent passage 85 extends radially through shaft 2| from passage 83 and contains a spring seated .valve 86 controlled by a stem 81 fixed to one of the flyweights 58. The engine torque transmitted to bolts 55 tends to hold the weights inwardlyvwhile centrifugal force resulting from the rotation of shaft 2| tends to move the weights outwardly. When the weights are located'inwardly, stem .61 will unseat the valve so that fluid is vented through passage 85 thus bypassing the clutch actuating piston. At some point in the outward movement of the flyweights, the stem will permit the valve to close so that venting ceases and fluid will flow to the piston to engage 'th8 clutch plates thus locking up the planetary gearing. At such time the carrier 32 will overrun the abutment member 44 even though brake device 33 is engaged and thus the gearing is automatically conditioned for high speed drive. If the brake device 38 is left engaged, the planetary gearing will be conditioned for-flrst or second speed drive whenever vent pasage 88 is opened by inward movement of the flyweights.

There are operating conditions where it is desirable to positively lock the planetary gearing be inflated .to engage the brake band with abutment rim 41 by fluid flowing through a pipe 13' (Fig. 2) a conduit1-3" (shown in Fig. 1) through the carrier parts, a collector groove 14, and pipe 14' connected with pump 8|, 52. Obviously some suitable form of valving under control of the vehicle driver must be provided to control flow to the two brake devices so that the brake device 33 is engaged when either the one-way clutch 48 or the brake device 34 are-eifeptivm The mechanism |4 for selecting forward or reverse drive to shaft 22 comprises a shiftable clutch sleeve 18 mounted on. shaft 2| and a sleeve 18 slidably splined on sleeve'18. Sleeve 16 has teeth 11 for engaging teeth 1801i abutment plate 18 fixed to wall 4|; Sleeve 18 has teeth 88 for engaging gear 8| on shaft 2| and teeth 84 for engagim gear on drum 88 flxed to the propeller shaft. Sleeve 15 also 'carries a pin 82 on which is rotatably mounted'a planet gear 83 meshing with gears 8| and 85. As shown in Fig. 1 the clutch'is in neutral'position and when sleeve 15 is shifted to the right teeth88 will-engage teeth 8| and teeth 84 will engage teeth 88, thus lockingshaft 2| directly to shaft 22 for forward drive. When the clutch sleeve I8 is shifted to the left teeth I1 will engage teeth 18 holding sleeve 18 stationary and driving the propeller shaft reversely from shaft 2| through gears 8|, 88 and 88. I

Synchronizer mechanism is associated with the forward and reverse selector clutch mechanism. A pair of brake ring members 81,-, 88 are located one on either side of actuator flange 88 on sleeve 18 for engagement with the abutment plate 18 and drum 88. These ring members are. tied together by pins 88 extending through open-* ings 8| in the actuator flange. The pins have beveled surfaces 82 adjacent similar surfaces at the ends of openings 8| and angular springs 83 are fixed toflange 88 and extend through the openings 8| and engage the beveled surfaces of the pins. The openings are larger in diameter than the pins and springs 83 move the brake rings ahead of the clutch members when shifted from neutral to engage either brake before the clutch teeth are engaged. Due to the difference in rotational speed of shafts 2| and- 22,'pins 88 will be shifted along an arc so that the beveled surfaces will overlie -a portion of the similar surfaces in the flange thus blocking engagement of the teeth 88 with gear 8| or teeth 84 with gear 88 until the shafts 2| and 22 reach the same speed when the shift is for forward drive, or bringing the clutch sleeves to a standstill-before teeth 'I'I engage teeth I8 when the shift is for reverse drive. A pair of balls 84 lie in aslot in sleeve I5, the innermost ball seating in a sleeve It has a groove 98 into which the outer ball is forced when the inner ball rides out of the groove 95 as the clutch is shifted from neutral toward forward drive position to thereby lock sleeves I and I6 together so that sleeve I5 wfll be returned to neutral position from forward drive shift position with sleeve 10. The sleeve I5 will be shifted to the right from neutral position by engagement of sleeve I6 with the gear carrying portion thereof. When the clutch is shifted between neutral and reverse drive position the inner ball will drop into groove 05 thereby permitting the outer ball to be cammed inward by the right-hand end of groove 96. This will enable sleeve 18 to clear the outer ball but sleeve I5 will be held by the inner ball.

The coupling I2 is of the Fbttinger type in which fluid is carried therein in the direction of rotatin and also through passages in the rotors forming circuits having their axes normal to the axes of the rotors. The passages are usually formed by radial vanes extending between the rotor walls and an irmer torus ring or core wall.

It is customary to provide a two rotor fluid coupling with the passages arranged so that fluid rotates in a single channel but sometimes the passages in both rotors are separated by guide rings to provide a series of concentric channels of fluid'flow. as inPatent 1,904,054 to Kiep et al. Then again, the driven rotors in some couplings have concentric separated passages open at their ends to common passages in the driving rotor as in Patent 2,360,258 to Murray.

When two or more driven rotors or runners are employed in fluid couplings of the character previously described to provide different driving speed through gearing, the first runner receiving inflow of fluid from the driving rotor or impeller will be the effective driver until the coupling speed creates suflicient fluid force to rotate the second runner at a speed where it will take over the drive. In many instances the second runner is effective when the engine torque is relatively low and the load can be handled more efficiently by the low speed runner. In order to improve this condition, .it is proposed to utilize the space I inside of the core wall to provide a second fluid circuit with the impeller and thereby increase the fluid capacity and effective driving range of the first runner.

In Figs. 1 and 3. the driving rotor or impeller I5 is formed as a flywheel having a hollow wall 99 in which a series of radial blades or vanes I00 are provided to form passages or channels IOI. Cover 52' is fixed to wall 99 by bolts I02. The first driven rotor or runner I6, see Figs. 1 and 4, has a shell 98, dished wall or torous member I03 in the core portion thereof, a series of radial blades or vanes I04 between the core wall and the shell forming peripheral passages or channels I05, a hub I01 and a series of blades or vanes I06 between the hub and the core wall forming passages or channels I00. The second driven rotor or runner H, see Figs. 1 and 5, is formed as a dished wall 91 from which a series of radial blades or vanes I09 extend forming passages or channels H0. The second runner lies between the vanes I04 and I06 so that passages IOI, I05, H0 and I06 are in series in the order named to form outer operating channels or circuits for the fluid. A series of radial blades or vanes III extend across the space in the dished core wall forming passages or channels H7: that are open to the passages IOI in the impeller. Passages H2 and the core portions of passages I M adjacent thereto form inneroperating channels or circuits for the fluid, such inner circuits being separated from passages I05 and passages IIO by the dished core wall I03. The inner fluid circuits A and outer fluid circuits B are concentric and the inner fluid circuits are confined to the impeller and first runner, thereby increasing the energytransfer capacity of such runner to this extent. The fluid capacity of the second runner is decreased by the .amount of fluid flowing through the inner circuits so the eifeetive range of the flrst runner will be increased.

The fluid coupling shown in Figs. 6 and '7 is substantially the same in principle as that previously described except that the impeller is provided with a dished core wall or torus III, thus forming inner and outer passages I I0 and H5. Passages Ill will be in the outer fluid circult and passages I I5 will be in the inner fluid circuit. Thus the core wall II3-more clearly defines the inner and outer channels for the fluid flowing through the impeller.

It will" be understood that various forms of the invention other than that described above may be used without departing from the "spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hydraulic coupling of the torus type,

that two distinct fluid circuits are established, 4

one circuit operating on the two outer portions and the other operating on the central portion; and said secondary driven rotor being disposed hydraulically between the two outer portions 7 and solely in the hydraulic circuit operating upon the two outer portions.

2. In a hydraulic coupling of the torus type, a vaned driving rotor, a vaned primary driven rotor and a vaned secondary driven rotor, said primary driven rotor being disposed adjacent the driving rotor and receiving directly from said driving rotor all of the fluid energized by the driving rotor, and a core wall on the primary driven rotor diverting a portion of the fluid from the secondary rotor such that the secondary rotor is energized by only a fraction of the fluid energized by the driving rotor.

3. A hydraulic coupling of the torus type, including a vaned driving rotor, a vaned primary driven rotor, a vaned secondary driven rotor, a curved core wall on theprimary driven rotor opening toward the driving rotor and dividing the vanes on the primary driven rotor into inner and outer regions with respect to the torus,

said vanes on the outer regions being discontinu- I ous so as to form a gap, and said vanes on the secondary driven rotor being disposed solely in said gap and separated from the fluid in the inner region by the core wall.

4. In a hydraulic coupling of the torus type. a vaned driving rotor, a vaned primary driven rotor and a vaned secondary driven rotor, said vaned primary driven rotor being disposed adjacent the driving rotor and receiving directly from the driving rotor all of the fluid energized by the driving rotor, said primary driven rotor deflning the inner boundary of the gap, and said vaned secondary driven rotor being disposed in energized fluid.

The following references are of record in the ROBERT P. cm'ron.

REFERENCES crnzn flle of this patent:

Number UNITED s'm'ms PATENTS Burtnett Jan. 2, 1940 Number Number 15 548,844

. Name Date Fawick Apr. 8, 1941 Fawick Aug. 5, 1941 Breer et a1 May 28, 1942 Werther Dec. 8, 1942 Miller Nov. 9, 1943 Duflield Apr. 11, 1944 Duflield Aug. 8, 1944 Murray Oct. 19, 1944 Duflield Apr. 10, 1945 Clifton June 14, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept. 23, 1942 

